1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical terminal for a modular connector. Particularly the present invention relates to an electrical terminal utilized in telephone connections and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical terminals utilized in telephones, for example, between the telephone body and a handset, or between the telephone body and a wall connection, for facsimile (FAX) machines, computer connections etc., are well known in the art. In such connections, since a plurality of different wires are required to be connected, the use of modular plugs and jacks to simplify such connections are well known.
FIG. 7 shows such a conventional modular plug A. The plug includes a housing B and a plurality of terminal receiving portions E. In each terminal receiving portion E, a terminal T is inserted. As seen in FIG. 8(A), each of the terminals T has an upper edge C for effecting connection between the modular plug A and a corresponding modular jack (not shown).
Referring to FIG. 8(A), a terminal T includes a pointed portion G, on a side opposite the upper edge C. The terminal T is pushed into the terminal receiving portion E such that the pointed portion G is pushed through a jacketing 9 around a wire 7 which rests in an opening D in the lower part of the housing B.
Referring to FIG. 8(B), a cross section of the wire 7, shielding 9 and the pointed portion G of the terminal T is shown. According to this arrangement, severing of the wires within the jacketing frequently occurs causing a resistance of the connection to vary. When the plug is subjected to testing, such as thermal impact testing or heat/humidity cycle testing, substantially wide variation in resistance occurs. It has been required to provide a terminal with consistent resistance properties.
FIG. 9(A) shows a conventional claw type terminal member also known in the art. FIG. 9(B) shows a cross-sectional view of the claw type terminal in contact with a shielded wire. Although the contact resistance of this type of terminal is improved, installation of such a terminal in a standard modular plug causes damage or deformity to the plug housing.